As a professional, Holmes pursued a career in the sciences of geology and archaeology although he painted actively throughout his life. Working in watercolor was particularly attractive to the artist, and he gained acclaim in this medium, winning several prizes at the Washington Water Color Club around the turn of the century, when this work was executed. The largest collection of the artist's work is now in the collection of the National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C. (formerly the National Collection of Fine Arts) where Holmes served as Director.